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2010-05-01 14:25:00

Are we all nuts…or what?

Answer: Always glad to be asked. This month I am going to talk about Arizona SB 1070, the new law in Arizona dealing with immigration enforcement. But first, a short story on John and Mary.

John and Mary have been married for 12 years. John is a very dominating person. Mary allows John to dominate her. John drinks too much. When he does, he is often abusive…even physically…to Mary. Mary always says to John, as the abuse is occurring, that she will press charges. But, like many women in abusive situations, she never does. Then, the legislature of her state passes a domestic abuse law saying that if any domestic abuse occurs, it doesn’t matter whether the spouse who is abused presses charges or not, the state can prosecute the abusive spouse on its own. Now, John has a "bit" in his mouth, and he should. Tell me, do you agree? I give this example because I feel the same process one goes through in deciding whether or not they would agree with this, is the same process I think should be used in regards to immigration reform and enforcement. Let me explain. We have laws in this country dealing with how people from other countries can come here, for a visit, or for obtaining permanent status as a naturalized citizen. These laws are not applicable to one group of people, like the Irish, Germans, Japanese or Chinese…they are for all persons desiring to enter our country. This is the law. The process is stipulated in our Constitution. You remember our Constitution don’t you? It’s the foundation of our country. Every federal, elected official takes an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. Part of our Constitution stipulates the Powers of Congress. This section is reprinted below. Section 8 - Powers of Congress: 1. The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States; 2. To borrow money on the credit of the United States; 3. To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes; 4. To establish a uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States; 5. To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures; 6. To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States; 7. To establish post offices and post roads; 8. To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries; 9. To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court; 10. To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses against the law of nations; 11. To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water; 12. To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years; 13. To provide and maintain a navy; 14. To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces; 15. To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions; 16. To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the states respectively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress; 17. To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States, and to exercise like authority over all places purchased by the consent of the legislature of the state in which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and other needful buildings; and 18. To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof. It seems to me that the Constitution is very clear on this subject. Webster’s defines "uniform" as, "always the same; showing a single form or character in all occurrences; undifferentiated; not differentiated; consistent; the same throughout in structure or composition…" The process for becoming a naturalized citizen is written and well documented. There are people in some of the worst "hell holes" in the world who have been waiting for years to be able to come to our country…legally. They have followed this process. Someday, just as it was for all of the immigrants since our immigration laws went into effect, they will be allowed entry. They are doing it right. The 11-12 million or more illegal aliens that are presently in this country have not done it right. They have committed a crime in the way that they got here. Our laws were not and have not been enforced. Our immigration laws state that if you are in this country as a worker or visitor, you must carry your papers to present to authorities, when asked. What is racial about this? If I go to Italy, or Switzerland, or France, or Great Britain, or Algeria, or any country in the world, I must have a valid passport and identification…and when asked by a proper authority, I must present the same. This is how it is done. Can you imagine how much "house" I would get if I was in Zimbabwe, asked to produce my papers, and claimed it to be racial profiling? They would ask, "Are you nuts?" The other day, President Calderon of Mexico, released the following statement. "By condemning Arizona Law SB 1070 as opportunist electioneering and an open door to hate, racial discrimination, intolerance and abuse, President Felipe Calderon called on Mexicans in the U.S. to organize and join his government in finding a comprehensive solution to the migration phenomenon.’ "‘It is our duty to act, act together, act now, and act in concert. This situation outrages and saddens us, and at the same time drives us to decidedly go faster, go stronger, and be closer to the Mexicans in the United States, and particularly in the state of Arizona,’ he stated at the inauguration of the Advisory Counsel of Mexicans Abroad.’ "Addressing the counselors and leaders of migrant settlement communities in the United States who came to Los Pinos [the presidential residence], Calderon proposed turning the situation into an opportunity to strengthen Mexico’s position in the debate on immigration, the goal being to prove with facts and solid arguments that these people aren’t part of the problem, but part of the solution.’ "‘We’re going to act, we’re acting, and we will act more. Because no one can sit back with arms crossed when confronted with decisions that so clearly affect our fellow countrymen, who for generations have contributed to the growth (of the United States),’ he stated." It might be interesting about now to take a peek at the rules for foreigners living in Mexico… 1. There will be no special bilingual programs in the schools, no special ballots for elections, and all government business will be conducted in our language. 2. Foreigners will NOT have the right to vote, no matter how long they are here. 3. Foreigners will NEVER be able to hold political office. 4. Foreigners will not be a burden to the taxpayers. No welfare, no food stamps, no health care, nor any other government assistance programs. 5. Foreigners can invest in this country, but it must be an amount equal to 40,000 times the daily minimum wage. 6. If foreigners do come and want to buy land that will be okay, BUT options will be restricted. You are not allowed to own waterfront property. That property is reserved for citizens naturally born into this country. 7. Foreigners may not protest; no demonstrations, no waving a foreign flag, no political organizing, no "bad-mouthing" our president or his policies. If you do you will be sent home. 8. If you do come to this country illegally, you will be hunted down and sent straight to jail Back to the John and Mary story... The way I figure, the actions of John are tantamount to the violation of our immigration laws. Mary’s continual refusal to press charges is tantamount to the Federal Government not securing our border and failing to enforce our immigration laws. The state legislature’s action in passing a domestic abuse law saying they can prosecute whether Mary files charges or not, is what Arizona has done with Arizona Law SB 1070. It is not a racial. It is not unfair. It is not abusive. It is prudent. It is already required under the naturalization process stipulated in the Constitution, that every federal, elected official has sworn to defend and uphold. If a man makes the decision to rob a convenience store with a gun, and in the process shoots a clerk, and as he runs away, a police officer shouts, "Stop," and the man keeps running, then the police officer shoots and wounds the robber, crippling him for life…can the robber or his family be upset at the police officer? The robber made the decision to do what he knew was wrong. Whatever happens to him after that is a "product" of the decision he made. If the first thing an illegal alien does is set foot on American soil illegally, then whatever happens after that is a "product" of the decision he or she made. We have got to stop this nonsense of yelling "racist" at every turn, and demonstrating about things that are against the law. We are still a democracy…I think. If the majority votes on a law, in accordance with our Constitution, it needs to be followed by all. If the majority no longer wants the law, and they vote to rescind it…again in accordance with our Constitution…it is rescinded. But, as long as it’s on the books, it needs to be upheld and enforced. We have three branches of the government. The Legislative branch makes the laws. The Executive branch approves, executes and enforces these laws. The Judicial branch interprets them. This is the way it is done in these United States. It has been the way it is done since our country began. I don’t want it changed. And no, I am not nuts…or a racist. Charlie Traffas has been involved in media, marketing, publishing and insurance for more than 38 years in Wichita. In addition to being fully licensed as a life, health, property and casualty agent, he is also President and Owner of Chart Marketing, Inc. (CMI), a full-service advertising agency, marketing firm and publishing company. CMI operates and markets a varied assortment of business products and services, including publishing of The Q&A Times and several B2B and B2C publications throughout the country. You may contact Charlie by phone at (316) 721-9200, by e-mail at ctraffas@chartmarketing.com, or you may visit at www.chartmarketing.com.